As Darren Gardner looked across the Pasadena fire hall at the antiquated 1987 pumper truck sitting inside, he talked about the needs of the town when it comes to fire and rescue services.

“The thing with this town is we also cover sections of the highway, so it’s important you have a second reliable pumper,” said Gardner, acting chief of the Pasadena Fire and Rescue.

“You can’t leave our town unprotected, so we can’t take our primary pumper and respond to those scenes outside of town, he said.

Gardner also said that 75 per cent of the structural fires the department has responded to this year have required a two-pumper response.

“Both trucks had to go because of the nature of these fires,” he said.

So with the 1987 pumper, which has broken down responding to calls, no longer meeting the needs, Gardner said it’s obvious a new truck is needed.

That’s why he was excited to hear Premier Tom Marshall announce the town would be getting a new rescue pumper truck when he stopped by the fire hall on Monday.

“It feels fantastic, obviously,” said Gardner.

Gardner said it was great to see the government partner with the Town of Pasadena to make it a reality. The $262,000 vehicle will be cost shared by the town and the province on 80/20 per cent ratio.

“This department has been very fortunate in terms of the relationship we have with the town,” he said. “The town’s always been really good to us in terms of our equipment needs and making sure we have proper equipment, the proper tools we need to do the job safely. So this is just another tool.”

The new truck will be a four-door, 1,050 gallon per minute vehicle with Class A foam capability. It will also be able to carry vehicle extrication equipment.

Gardner said the province has a number of standard specifications and the department will work with the town and “tweak” it to meet the town’s needs before the truck is tendered.

He expects it will be eight to nine months before the new truck will become a part of the department’s fleet that includes another pumper, rescue vehicle and utility truck.

Meanwhile, Marshall also took time during his visit to address the members of the department. Seventeen of the departments 30 members attended the announcement along with members of the town council.

“I want to recognize and give sincere heartfelt appreciation to you guys ... for the sacrifices you make with your families and your bravery and your dedication to fire protection to this community,” Marshall said.

“We all know that it ultimately saves lives and for that, as premier of the province, I am going say to you a sincere, sincere thank you.”

Stephenville Crossing's fire department joined the Town of Kippens in getting a new pumper truck Monday.

Premier Tom Marshall announced $261,000 in funding for new trucks for each department during a morning tour through the area.

Like the truck for the Kippens department, Stephenville Crossing's new pumper is cost shared with the provincial government covering 90 per cent of the cost and the town the remaining 10.

Marhsall has one more stop to make on the west coast this afternoon when he visits the fire hall in Pasadena at 3 p.m.

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(Earlier story)

Premier Tom Marshall began a series of three west coast media events Monday with the announcement of a new pumper truck for the Town of Kippens.

Marshall made the announcement of the $261,000 investment at the town's fire hall this morning.

“Fire protection and emergency services are vital to ensure that our residents and their property are kept safe and secure," Marshall said in a prepared release.

" ... We will be delivering a modern firefighting vehicle which will serve this community for years to come. This truck is the first announcement resulting from an investment of over $5 million in vehicles and equipment, through Budget 2014."

Ninety per cent of the $261,000 for the truck has been provided by the provincial government with the town covering the remaining 10 per cent.

The vehicle will be a four-door, 1,050 gallon per minute truck, with Class A foam capability, the release says.

“Investments such as this make a very big difference in the lives of the volunteers who are there for our residents during times of need," Port au Port MHA Tony Cornect said in the release.

Marshall is scheduled to make two similar announcements Monday in Stephenville Crossing at 11:30 a.m. and in Pasadena at 3 p.m.

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(Earlier story)

Premier Tom Marhsall is scheduled to make a number of funding announcements on the west coast of the province today.

According to a prepared release, Marshall will join Port au Port MHA Tony Cornect at the fire hall in Kippens for an announcement at 10 a.m.

The premier will then move on to Stephenville Crossing's fire hall for a second announcement at 11:30 a.m., before travelling to Pasadena where he'll make a third funding announcement at that town's fire hall at 3 p.m.

There were no immediate details as to the nature of the funding announcements.